Angelika gave Stefan a lingering kiss and turned away from him. Outside the window the dark night was interrupted by the bright spotlights that lit up the grey wall, the barbed wire fencing and the empty no-mans land that lay between her and the promise of freedom in the West.
‘It’s time,’ Stefan whispered.
Angelika nodded. ‘I will see you in Paris.’
Stefan smiled. ‘In three days.’
Angelika lifted herself over the window sill. With a last look back, she dropped silently to the ground below. Crouched in the shadows she drew in a large breath. One sharp sprint and jump and she would be in West Berlin.
Now. She rose and powered forward, her legs propelling her faster than she thought she could ever run. As she reached the wall she leapt, sighting the handhold Stefan had pointed out to her. As she grasped for it she realised she wasn’t going to reach it. Her body slammed into the wall and slid to the ground.
A siren began to blare as the spotlight swung and settled over her. She heard vicious dogs snarling as they raced towards her and the sound of a machine gun bolt being cocked.
Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). For more details visit HERE.
To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
I quite enjoyed this. Such a desperate situation described in so few words. Nicely done! ☺
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Thanks Adam, much appreciated 🙂
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I am so glad that wall does not exist any more… Although if Trump gets his way there will be another one in a different place signifying the same kind of dangers for people. Scary thought. A very well written piece 🙂
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Thanks Angie, I’m hopeful there are enough sensible people in America to make sure that doesn’t happen!
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I hope that you are right!
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I remember quite a few TV shows and movies from the 1960s that went along these lines. The Cold War permeated everything from comedies, to spy thrillers, to science fiction.
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Certainly did, and I do like the spy genre in particular. Thanks James.
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Brings back memories of the cold war era, but I’m sure it’s happened countless times since then. We should somehow make sure that it stops forever.
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Agreed Graham, if only there was a simple solution, or if people would just be nicer to each other…
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Quite intense.
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Many thanks
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Nicely ominous. I like the tension.
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Many thanks.
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Oh dear. This definitely takes you back to the cold war. And with the threatening events in the Middle East today, this could be repeating.
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Thanks Maria, let’s hope things improve this year and not get worse.
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Quite tense. Nicely written.
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Thanks Neel.
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A touch of Le Carré here, Iain, excellent piece.
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A great compliment, one of my favourites.
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Tense and intense. Not just cold war leaps for freedom — happens daily when people try to free oppression and don’t make it. Timely piece.
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Thanks Lorraine, glad you liked it.
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Well written. A real vision of the horrors people have experienced in a reach for freedom. Very sad and troubling.
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Many thanks
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I love the tension in this, Iain. Some great word choices.
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Many thanks, much appreciated.
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They were terrible times. You brought memories flooding back. Excellent.
Click to read my tale
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I remember days like this. Stories of people who tried and failed, only to be gunned down.
A good story of the desperation. Glad it has gone.
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Thanks, let’s hope it doesn’t return…
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Let us hope so
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Nicely built up Iain
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Many thanks
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Well done. Such intrigue in so few words. Enjoyed!
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Thanks Roger, much appreciated.
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A frightening ending Ian. The reader really wonders what comes next and there’s this feeling it isn’t a good thing for this guy’s wife. Far worse places to escape from sadly!
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Afraid so Mandi, plenty of walls around the world today. Thanks for reading.
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Too many. Maybe more lol. Think Mexico will pay for that?
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